3/4 mile to 2 miles 15x SLC or spotter?

[4th_point]

That rolling ball can suck. Sorry to hear that.

I recently bought a 10x42 Nikon HG, and although they don't have quite as flat of a field as the EL I got dizzy the first few times I put them to my eyeballs. I got used to them pretty quick but it was weird since the EL have never bothered me. Everyone's eyes and brain are different obviously.

Two thoughts regarding 15x:

1) Two miles with 15x is an awful long distance, in my opinion.

2) Some 15x big eyes are dang near as heavy as a spotting scope

 

[Brooks]

I have 12x50 EL’s on a tripod and the guys I guide and hunt with all have top of the line glass but when we see a critter way off the spotting scopes come out.

 

[JohnnyB]

I take my 10x42s and my 15x56 SLC's and leave my 65mm spotter at home. I can get most of what the 65mm offers with my 15's on a tripod. IF I had an 85mm spotter, I may feel differently.

 

[TexasHTR]

I don’t know which big eye Vortex you have but I will disagree with a few folks here and say it’s highly likely that SLC 15x or even Meoptas will be a massive step up.

I’ve ran Viper, Vulture, and Kaibab 15s and I can assure you the difference is much greater than the difference between even upgrading your 10s to alpha glass. Biggest thing is lack of eye strain and increase eye relief made glassing sessions comfortable enough to actually be useful. Oddly I actually had better antler definition at 2/3 of a mile with my viper 10s vs my viper 15s back before I upgraded them both.

I currently run SLC 10s and I almost never use them if I’m stopping for longer than 5 minutes. I always find myself taking the time to get the Meopta 15s and a tripod out. I have a 50mm razor spotter and an 85. The 50 is completely redundant and I’d rather just use the 15s. The 85 for sure still has a place over a mile.

I agree with this. If I stop for long enough to pull out the tripod then the meopta 15s are coming out. They give me the least amount of eye strain of any binos I’ve tried. I also can’t glass long term with a spotter. Instant headache. I’ve tried using an eyepatch to keep both eyes open, but it didn’t help much. I’ll only use a spotter to confirm something just out of reach of the 15s. Buddy totes the spotter. Haha

 

[ahansel]

I ended up going with a 12x EL and it has been great but I have to power through it. After about 5 minutes of glassing I have gotten the rolling ball effect. Thinking about going with the 15’s and a set of 10’s

Curious to see if you've moved up the 15x and 10x set up? I ask because I'm considering doing the same thing...